Mold for line-casting machines



Aug. 6, 1929. s. E. SPERRY MOLD FOR LINE CASTING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed May 22, 1928 gnou/ttor, femme/'. Sherry anonima,-

S. E. SPERRY MOLD FOR LINE CASTING MACHINES Aug. 6, 1929.

Filed May 22, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .Juwvnl :IIE

TIE- E Patented Aug. 6, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,123,712 PATENT OFFICE;

SAMUEL E. SPERRY, OF HOLLIS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR `TO INTERTYPE CORPORATION, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATON F NEW YORK.

MOLD FOR LINE-CASTING MACHINES.

application. area May 22, 1era serial No. 279.733.

wherein the mold comprises members which form a slot or cavity in which a type bar or slugis cast, means being provided to present a line of character bearingr matrices to the front of the mold and the mouth-piece of a metal pot to the rear face of the mold, the metal injected into the mold slot or cav-- ity from the metal pot castingr a type bar or slugr therein bearingrr type characters along an edge thereof. 4

Heretofore, it has been customary to con struct the mold With a body and a cap of varying cross sections both transversely and longitudinally, and to secure the mold body to the mold Wheel by an apron on the mold body Which overlapped the face of the mold Wheel and Was secured thereto by screws, and to secure the mold cap to the mold body by clamping screws which connected their y ends, but such molds have presented. the disadvantages that they or their parts Were subject to warping, due to repeated heating and cooling thereof incident to the casting of the type bars therein, With the result that the type bars were distorted or were not accurate in their dimensions.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved mold of this general class Which obviates the objections hereinbefore referred to and which affords advantages not present `in molds of this cla-ss as heretofore proposed or used.

Accordingr to the present invention, the mold is constructed of a mold body and a mold cap both of which are of subr-itantially uniform cross section throughout both their longitudinal and transverse dimensions, thereby avoiding or minimizing wali'pinp; of these parts by stresses set up therein due to temperature changes.

Also, according to the present invention,

novel and improved means are provided for securing,r the mold parts to the mold Wheel whereby substantially uniform stress is eX- erted thereby on all portions of the mold so that no portion of the mold will be Without direct support although all portions of the mold will be free to expand and contract,

both longitudinally and transversely,`when subjected to the varying temperatures existini;P in operation, distortion of the mold body and cap, due to the constraining influence of the mold securing means, being.;r thereby avoided. i

`The present invention also provides a mold which is much less expensive to manufacture than `the present forms of molds which, as isWell known, are very costly.

A `further object of the invention is to provide a mold of the improved type referred to which can be applied to a mold Wheel which may be interchanged "with the mold ivheel as ordinarily used in machines of this class, thus enabling the invention to be applied to existing machines as Well as i new machines.

To these and other ends, the linvention consists in certain improvements and combinations and arrangements ot' parts all as will. be hereinafter more fully described, the features of novelty being pointed "out particul arly in the claims at the end of the specitication.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. l is a front elevation of a portion of a mold Wheel for a line casting machine of the type hereinbefore referred to, the mold wheel beiner equipped with a mold constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. Q represents a. horizontal section taken on the line 2 2 of Fignl and 100kinfr downwardly; y y

Fig. 3 represents a transverse section `taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l and looking toward the right, the positions of the ma,- triX line and metal, pot mouth-piece relatively to the mold being indicated in dotted lines; i

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a ortion of themold Wheel and mold, shovvlngr the mold in vertical or slug ejecting position and illustrating;r devices provided to cause relaxation of the pressure on the type bar or sluir cast Within the mold 1n orderto facill- `tate ejection of the type bar` therefrom;

Fig. `5 a view showing partly infsection on the line .VP-5 ot Fig. 4 a portion of the` laxation of the pressure on the type bar o1" slugr when the mold is brought into ejecting position; and

' are applicable generally to line casting machines of the general class adapted to cast type bars or slugs, and while the preferred n embodiment of the invention is shown in the accom anying drawings and is hereinafter .descri ed in detail, it is to` be understood vthat equivalent constructions are contemf plated and such will be included within the scope of the claims.

In the construction shown, 1 represents a portion-.of the mold Wheel or disk of a line vvcastingmachine of the general class shown 20 ,.ferred to, the mold Wheel being mounted on p a shaft 2 whereby a mold in use on the wheel and described in the patent hereinbefore reinay be rotated to carry it from the hori- Zonta-l1 orvcasting position to the vertical or e'ecting position, and may be returned from t e latter position to the casting position,

p the periphery of the mold wheel being shown with ear teeth to cooperate with gearing wherey the mold wheel may be rotated at appropriate times to bring the mold thereon in the Adifferent positions as described. The

v.mold wheel shaft 2, in machines of this class, 'is mounted on a slide which moves forwardly immediately :prior to the casting and ejecting operations, the consequent forward movement of the mold wheel immediately.

preceding the casting operation bringing the mold into contact with the rear face of a line of matrices M which have been previously lowered to a position level with and opposite to the forward face of the mold, after which the .mouth-piece 3 of a metal pot is brought against :the rear face of the mold and the metal pot plunger operates to inject molten metal into the mold to cast a type bar or ,slug therein, after which the metal rpot mouth-piece is retracted to disengage it I from the mouthpiece and the mold wheel is retracted to disengage the mold from the matrix line.

. vFollowing the casting operation, the mold wheelfis rotated to carry the mold from the horizontal or casting position shown in Fig.

1 tothe vvertical ejecting position shown in Fig. 4, the mold containing the type bar or slug which has been cast'therein being posi d Y tioned immediately behind a` knife block 4 which contains knives which trim the flat sides of the type bar or slug while the latter is being pushed forwardly edgewise from the mold and through the space between the trimming knives, by an ejector, and the forward movement of the mold wheel, which ytakes place immediately'prior to the ejecting operation, brings the mold into close relationship with the trimming knives. The construction and operation of the parts as just described are well known to those .skilled in the art or familiar with line casting,r machines of the general class shown and described in the patent hereinbefoie referred to.

The mold wheel, according to the present invention is provided with a mold pocket 5 which is defined by a' base or inner wall (i which is located on a chord of the circular mold wheel, end walls 7 which extend outwardly perpendicularly to the base G and an outer wall which is formed of a pair of inclined surfaces S, these surfaces being preferably of equal length and inclining upwardly from the ends toward the center of the mold pocket. The mold pocket is preferably formed as a slot-like opening through the mold wheel, the pocket being located within the circumference or rim of the wheel and entirely surrounded by the web or body pory tion of the wheel. y A flange 9 preferably extends inwardly for a suitable distance beyond the inclined surfaces 8, for a purpose that will hereinafter a pear.

The mold, in the pre erred embodiment of the invention, comprises cooperative members l() and l1 which form the mold slot or Cavity between them, and wedges Ylf2 which serve to lock the member 10 and 11 in eooperative relation. `The mold member l0 serves as a mold body, it comprising a bar of metal the top and bottom surfaces of which are flat and parallel and the front and rear faces of which are parallel, the front face of this member being provided willi a groove 13 to receive the lower rear lugs ou the matrices in the matrix line and thereby aline the matrices in front of the mold, the

Vflat top face of the member 1() forming the lower wall of the mold cavity. The flat straight bottom surface of the member 10 is adapted to seat solidly and accurately on the bottom and inner wall 6 of the mold pocket, and suitable means is provided for securingr the mold member 10 in such position. Preferably a suitable number of screws 14 each having right and left hand threads flu-reen are provided for this purpose, two of such screws being shown in the present instance. they being threaded upwardly into the bottom of the mold member 1() and downwardly into the inner or bottom wall of the mold pocket at points intermediate the ends of the mold member, these screws having angular or other suitably .shaped wrench-receiving portions 15 thereon which may be accommodated in recesses 16 vformed in the inner wall 6 of the pocket.` so that tightening of these screws will draw the mold member 10 firmly and solidly against the inner wall 6 of the pocket and will secure said mold member in such position.

The mold member 10 is also provided with means for locking it against displacement` lUfi lll)

in the mold pocket in a. forward or rearward direction, such means comprising in the present instance lugs 17 which project beyond the ends et said member and abut against i faces 7' adjacent to `the liront edges ol the end walls 7 of the mold pocket, these faces being preferably recessed or olfset rearwardly from the tace ol the mold wheel, the abutting ot' the lugs 17 against 'these 'faces preventing,r displacement of the mold member 10 in a rearward diuation, and the lugs 17 engage the rear faces of flanges 18 which overlie or are opposite to the :tace-s T, the flanges 18 being formed on bosses which may be cast integral with or suitaliily secured to the face of the mold wheel, the engage ment of the lugs 17 with the flanges 18 pteA venting displacement ol the mold member 10 in a forward direction. While the flanges 18 willthus engage the lugs 17 on the member 10 when the latter is seated in the mold pocket, these flanges ternfinate, aft a. sufficient distance from the upper or outer portion of the mold pocket to enable the mold member 10 to be inserted inte or rcmoved from the mold pocket by a transverse movement ofthe lugs 17 above the tl: npas 15%, and the lugs 17 are movable vertical! between the flanges 18 and the tacos 7 during' inser tion and removal of this mold member. The mold member 11 is constructed preferably of a bar of metal having parallel top and bottom and front and rear sui-fac a, the bottom surface of this member being1 fimshed so that it will accurately contact with llhe top face of the member 10 and thus term a metal tight joint therewitln and in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the member 10i is formed in its bottom 'tace with a recess 19 the length, height and position et which conform with a mold cavity, and when the member 11 is mounted on the member il() the bottoni of this recess will. be closed by the top surface of the member 10, and i l rf `will then form the mold slot or cavity. lhe memberll thus takes the place et the usual mold cap and separate liners, the present invention enabling a nmnbcr of meld aA bers 11 to be kept on hand, these members all being of the same outside dimensions bat having recesses of dillerent lengths or heights to conform with type bars `or slotte of diii'erent lengths or thichnesfes which it may be desired to cast. 11 is provided at its ends with lugs 2O which are adapted to move vertically between the surfaces T and 18 dui-iner ilisertion and re-Y moval of said mold member and when this mold member is mounted on the mold nicmber 10, it is locked against 'lor Jard er rearn ward displacement with respect thereto by the abutting engagement oi' the lugs 20 with the surfaces 7a and the :flanges 1 8. The mold member 11 introduced into or removed from the mold cavity by inserting its lugs 2 The mold member i into the channels i'ornied between 'the sul'- 'faces 7" and the -flanges 18 and lowering;l the member 11 on tothe member l() or lifting;1 the melnber 11 until the lugs il() thereon reach the tops ol' the tlangres 18 .vherrupoi'ri moval of the member lfl ca; ero Y hot.

The mold member 11, :111 the preferred embodiment of the invention, is locked in cooperative relation with the member 10 by the wedges 12 which are adapted to be interposed between the upper or outer face et' the member 11 and the reversely inclined outer surfaces 8 of the mold pocket. The lower faces of the wedges are preferably alined so that they will be movable lengt tudinally on the tlat top tace olz the member 11 while the upper faces 22 oll the wedges arc bevelled or inclined to contorni with thc molines of the respective surfaces 8, the downward slope of the surfaces 8 to ward the ends of the mol d pocket causing;n the wedges when spread apart or moved relatively in a direction away from one another, to exert a compression on the member 11 which forces it against the opposed tace oi the mold member 10. hileans is prmfidcd l'er automatically actuating or spreading; the wedges to lock the mold components together and in the mold pocket, such mea/ns comprising preferably a coiled. compression springf 23 which is interposed. between the inner or adjacent ends of the wedges and acts with an amnopriate force to spread the wedges or to move them away from one another, such movement of the wedges causing); them to move longitudinally on the top face o't the mold member 11 and toward the en( s thereof, and the cooperation oi. the reversely inclined top surfaces 22 of the wedges with the Correspondingly inclined sur S ol the mold pocket `will force the mold mcml'nrr 11 solidly against the mold member 10 and the wedges Will thus lock the member 11 solidly againstthe member 10. The wedges are preferably provided with apertures 2i to receive the ends of a tweezers-like tool whereby the wedges may be drawn together or toward one another, in, opposition to the actionoii the spring1 23, and to be thus removed orinffierted. The inwardly extending flange 9 on the mold wheel adjacent to the wedge-cumming surfaces 9 will Vprevent dis'- placement ot' the wedges from the mold pocketin a rearward direction, and suitable means, such as pins 25 depending from the wedgeengaging,P surfaces and eifregagxing in longitudinal grooves 26 formed inthe top surfaces `22 ol the wedges provided to lll() llt) prevent forward displacement of the wedges, the pins 25 being disengaged from the grooves 26, when the Wedges are drawn toward one another and thus permitting the Wedges to be withdrawn forwardly from the mold pocket. When the Wedges are inserted into the pocket, the flange 9 will act as a stop which will insure registration of the grooves 26 in the tops of the wedges with the pins 25.

Although the Wedges act to lock the mold members 1() and 11 firmly together, it is desirable to relax the pressure of the mold members 10 and l10n the type bar or slug cast in the mold in order to facilitate ejection of the type bar or slug. For this purpose, means is providedv which moves the Wedges 12 relatively toward one another a sufficient distance to relax the pressure exerted on the type bar or slug at the time the mold is brought into slug-ejecting position. Preferably, a pair of projections 27 are fixed to the knife block 4 so that they will project rearwardly therefrom in positions Where rthey will enter spaces at the ends of the wedires, the inner'or wedge-engaging faces of these projections being rounded or bevelled as at 28 so that they will engage the respective ends of the wedges, as the mold Wheel advances and will shift the Wedges relatively toward one another a suflicient distance to reduce the compression exerted on the mold member 11 thus allowing the mold member 11 to move slightly away from the mold member 10 and thus relax the compression exerted on the type bar or slug. The latter may then be easily ejected from the mold by the usual ejector blade and pushed through the trimming knife for the trimming of its flat sides. lVhen themold Wheel is retracted, following the ejecting operation,

c the ends of the wedges are disengaged from the projections 27 and the wedge actuating spring 23 then acts to relock the mold members 1() and 11 under firm compression, preparatory to the next following casting operation.

By constructing the mold members 10 and 11 as blocks or bars of steel of substantially rectangular uniform cross section throughout their length, as shown, warping of these parts, due to stressesA set up therein by the temperature changes taking place during the use of the mold, is avoided to any appreciable degree, and by mounting these members so that their end portions do not abut against the ends of the mold pocket but are free to move longitudinally within the pocket,

Vthese mold members will be able to expand or contract without distortion. The Wedges firmly hold these members of the 'mold in contact, but they merely bear on the longitudinal top surface of the member 11 and hence they will not interfere with thermal expansion and contraction of these mold VUmana members, although there will be a suicient amount of yield or flexibility of the member 11 and its locking Wedges to release the adherence of the type bar to the walls of the mold and to enable it to be ejected therefrom even though the wedges are not retracted, although it is preferable to retract the wedges during the ejecting operation, as such is thereby greatly facilitated.

The locking Wedges are preferably sufficiently long to act on the member l1 substantially throughout its length, as they then act substantially uniformly upon all portions of the mold member to evenly press it against the body or base member 10, and they avoid causing sagging of the unsupported portion of the member 11 above the recess or mold cavity, as portions of the Wedges will be opposite to the portions of the member 11 which bear directly on the base member 10.

By constructing the member 11. and its locking Wedges so that they are readily re` movable from the mold pocket, although the base member 10 remains in position therein, the operator .is enabled to easily and quickly remove a meld member having a recess of one length or depth and to substitute another member of the same vertical height or thickbuthaving a recess of different length or depth to produce type bars of a desired length or thickness. Although it is preferable to construct the member 11 so that it takes the place of the usual mold cap and separate end liners, as the cost of machining and finishing the surfaces is greatly reduced, it is to be understood that the other features of the invention may be used in conjunction with a mold cap and separate liners.

The provision of wedges having sloping surfaces of a suitably small angle in conjunction with the spring for spreading or expanding the Wedges insures substantial uniform locking together of the mold iarts, notwithstanding thermal expansion and contraction of these parts and the mold wheel, as the Wedges acting under the yielding force of the spring will accommodate their extent of locking movement to the relatively expanded or contracted condition of the mold parts or mold Wheel, so that the mold parts will not be too loosely held when said parts are relatively cool and contracted nor too tightly locked when the mold parts are relatively hot and expanded, and the wedges may spread under the action of the spring and thus automatically take up any slack or loeseness that n'iight develop. The small angle of slope of the inclined wedge surfaces precludes forcing together of the wedges and consequent release of the mold members, under expansive tendency of the mold.

I claim as my invention 1. A mold for line casting machines comltltl llt) prising cooperative members forming a slug casting cavity between them and having contacting surfaces which are flat and lie in the same plane throughout their extents, each of said members being of substantially uniform cross section throughout its length and shiftlable longitudinally relatively to the cooperattween the opposite Wall oi" the pocket and the other mold member operative to hold the mold members in cooperative relation While permitting them to shift relatively to one another to compensate for thermal expansion and contraction.

3. In a line casting machine, the combination of a mold support having a mold pocket therein, a mold embodying cooperative members mounted in said pocket, means for clamping said mold members together and securing them in said pocket, and means at the ends of the pockets cooperative with the ends of the mold members to retain them against lateral displacement from the pocket while permitting them to expand and contract therein.

4. In a line casting machine, the combina tion of a mold support having a ocket therein, a mold contained in said poc et and comprising a body member having means for securing it in said pocket, and a cooperative member removably mounted in said pocket, and means at the ends of the pocket for preventing lateral displacement of said cooperative mold member in said pocket.

5, In a line casting machine, the combination. of a mold support having a pocket therein provided with flanges at its ends, a mold contained in said pocket and comprising a body member having means tor securing it in said pocket, and a cooperative mold member removably mounted in said pocket and having portions toward its ends to cooperate with said flanges, when mounted in said pocket, to lock said cooperative member against transverse displacement from the pocket.

6. In a line casting machine, the combination olE a support having a mold pocket therein provided with flanges which overlie the face of said support adjacent to its ends, and a mold contained in said ocket and comprising cooperative members orming the mold cavity between them, said mold members having lugs at their ends engageable be* tween the face of the support and the respective flanges for holding the mold `against displacement with respect to the mold pocket.

7. In a line casting machine, the combination of a support having a` mold pocket therein, a mold comprising body and cap members forming a slug casting cavity between them, means between the `body mem-` ber and the respective wall of the pocket and engaging the body member at points between its ends for securing the body member in the pocket, and means :tor holding the cap member in cooperative relation with the base member.

8. In a line casting machine, the combination of a mold support having a mold pocket therein, a mold contained in said pocket and comprising a body member and a cap member, devices interposed between the mold body member and the respective wall of the pocket for drawing said body member against said wall, and means interposed between the cap member and the opposite wall of the pocket for holding said mold members in cooperative relation.

9. In a line casting machine, the combination of a mold su port having a mold pocket therein, a mol l comprising cooperative members contained in said pocket, and means including a wedge and yielding actuating means therefor normally acting to lock the mold members in cooperative relation.

l0. In a line casting machine, the combination of a mold support having a mold pocket therein, a mold contained therein and comprising body and cap members forming the mold cavity between them, the wall of the pocket opposite to the cap member being inclined` relatively to said member, wedge means interposed between the cap member and said inclined wall, and means normally tendinir to actuate the wedge means to lock the mo d members in cooperative relation.

ll. In a line casting machine, the combination of a mold support having a mold pocket therein a wall oit' which is formed with reversely inclined surfaces, a mold comprising superposed members contained in the pocket, wedges interposed between the mold and the respective inclined surfaces of the pocket, and means normally tending to move the wedgesI to lock the mold members.

12. In a line casting machine, the combination of a mold support having a mold pocket therein, a wall oi" which is formed with an inclined surface, a mold contained in the pocket, a wedge removably interposed between the mold and said inclined surface and operative to lock the mold, said surface having a retaining projection extending therefrom and the Wedge havre a recess to receive said projection when the wedge is in mold locking position, said recess beingr free of said projection when the 'Wedge is in released position and permitting removal oit the Wedgefrom the pocket. A

113.. In aline casting machine, the combination of a mold sutpport having a mold poel-:et

therein a wall o which is formed with reversely inclined surfaces, a mold comprising superposed members mounted 1n said pocket `opposite to saidinclined surfaces, wedges ntherein a wall' o inter ed between the mold and the respectivevmclined ysurfaces and movable in one direction thereon tolock the mold members :and in another direction to release the latter,

and means interposed between said inclined surfaces and the Wedges to retain the wedges against lateral displacement from the'pockct when said lwedges are in locking position .and for releasing the wedges for removal wedges interposed between the mold and the Irespective. inclined surfaces, and a spring connecting the wedges for actuating them, the angle of inclination of said inclined surfaces being sufficiently small in relation to the strength of said spring to enable the latter to actuate the wedges to lock the mold members in cooperative relation.

15. In a line casting machine, the combination of a mold support having a mold pockety therein, a mold comprising members forming the mold cavity between them, Wedge means normally acting to lock the mold members in cooperative relation, the mold support being movable to bring the mold into slug ejecting position, and means operative during the movement of the mold into slug ejecting position for retracting thc wedge means and thereby cause relaxation of the pressure of lthe mold members on the slug in the mold cavity.

16. In a linc casting machine, the combination of a mold wheel having a mold pocket therein, a mold comprising members forniing thc mold cavity between them, means including wedges and a spring acting to actuate the wedges to normally lock together the mold members, the mold wheel being movable to carry the mold into casting und slug ejecting positions, and projections op erative on the wedges to retract them and thereby relax the pressure of the mold members on the slug in the mold cavity when the mold is brought into slug cjecting position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

SAMUEL E. SPERRY. 

